A heavy sense of panic enveloped the three members of the Gu family. Gu Yu was the first to snap out of it, quickly standing up and looking at Gu Song and Gu Rou, who were still on the ground. He anxiously asked, “What... what do we do now?”

Everything had happened so quickly just moments ago. Gu Yu hadn't even had time to say anything before they were thrown out. He was utterly confused and a bit panicked.

Gu Song was just as bewildered.

What now?

He had no idea either.

But there was one thing gnawing at him—Qin Hongxi's last words.

Could Qin Hongxi really be planning to go after their Gu family’s business?

Gu Song’s mind was in complete chaos.

Then there was Gu Rou, who was even more distressed.

The reality that Qin Hongxi was actually going to divorce her weighed so heavily on her that she could barely breathe.

Gu Rou didn’t want a divorce from Qin Hongxi.

Even though over the years, they had countless arguments because of the Gu family, and she hadn’t considered Qin Hongxi that important.

But after all these years together, Gu Rou had fallen in love with him.

That’s why every time Qin Hongxi brought up divorce in the past, she had reacted so strongly, even going as far as using Qin Yao to threaten him.

But those were just tactics she used to stabilize her marriage. She had threatened to ruin Qin Yao, but had she ever actually done it?

Was Qin Hongxi really going to end their marriage over this?

Gu Rou found it laughable. She laughed until her eyes turned red.

Gu Yu stood silently for a long time, waiting for a response from either of them, but none came. Growing increasingly anxious, he began pacing restlessly.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he quickly pulled out his phone.

What he saw made his vision go black. There was a loud *thud* as Gu Yu collapsed to the ground.

The sound of his fall was so loud that it startled Gu Rou and Gu Song out of their daze. Both turned to look at him.

Gu Rou wiped away her tears and rushed forward to help Gu Yu up, her voice filled with worry, “Xiao Yu? Are you okay? What happened?”

Gu Yu’s fall was serious. The asphalt had scraped his forehead, causing blood to flow freely.

Gu Song, trembling, approached as well, his concern evident. “The hospital, call the driver... we need to get to the hospital…”

As he spoke, he pulled out his phone to call the driver.

Before he could make the call, his secretary's call came through first. “Mr. Gu, something terrible has happened! The old master has just collapsed!”

Gu Song: “What?!”

The phone’s speaker was on, so Gu Rou also heard. Her expression changed instantly. “Hurry, to the hospital! We need to get to the hospital right now!”

Their driver arrived just in time, and the trio—Gu Yu, still dazed, and Gu Song and Gu Rou, both on the verge of collapse themselves—rushed to the hospital.

Halfway there, Gu Yu regained consciousness. His head had been hastily bandaged, and he was in pain, but he couldn’t afford to think about it. The first thing he did was look for Gu Rou. Seeing her, he ignored his bleeding head and lunged forward, “Aunt, you have to help me! The internet is full of comments calling me a scumbag! Please, quickly, contact Qin Yao! His company’s PR team is incredible. If his team speaks for me, I can definitely clear my name...”

Blood streamed down from Gu Yu’s forehead, dripping into his eyes, making his already bloodshot eyes even more terrifying.

Gu Rou looked at him, deeply worried, and tried to comfort him, “Xiao Yu, don’t worry. I’ll contact—”

She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly freezing.

Could she even contact Qin Yao now?

A wave of unease washed over her, and she couldn’t bring herself to finish her sentence.

Gu Yu stared at her, growing more frantic as she stayed silent. “Say something! Aunt, Qin Yao is your son! Surely, you can still—”

He suddenly paused.

Right. 

Qin Yao was Gu Rou’s son. But would he still acknowledge her as his mother now?

Not to mention the fact that Qin Hongxi was already planning to divorce Gu Rou. Just think back to what had happened earlier—

Gu Rou had outright suggested in front of Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi that Qin Yao should be the one to take the fall for them!

Gu Yu knew it was a good plan.

After all, Qin Yao had been present at the scene, and like Gu Yu, his name consisted of only two characters, making him the perfect scapegoat.

But Gu Rou shouldn’t have said that in front of Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi!

Didn’t she know how much Qin Hongxi protected Qin Yao?

And yet, she had been foolish enough to say that in front of not just Qin Hongxi, but all the guests present.

Qin Yao already had a poor relationship with Gu Rou. After hearing what she said, would he still be willing to help?

Come to think of it, Qin Hongxi’s decision to finally go through with the divorce might have had something to do with this!

And not only that, but Qin Hongxi's words today weren't just about divorcing Gu Rou. He was planning to sever all ties with the Gu family completely.

That alone was bad enough.

But what was worse was that Qin Hongxi had instructed the bodyguards, in front of all those guests, to throw them out without any hesitation!

First, Gu Rou and Gu Song had humiliated Gu Yu by exposing his affair with Han Wei in front of everyone. Now, because of Gu Rou, their entire family had become a laughingstock in their social circle...

The more Gu Yu thought about it, the angrier he became. His bloodshot eyes glared at Gu Rou. “It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, Qin Yao would’ve helped me!”

Hearing this, Gu Rou was shocked, her expression pained. “Why blame me, Xiao Yu? I—”

“You’re saying it’s not your fault?!” Gu Yu’s rage flared. “Before we went to the Qin family, what did we tell you? We told you to sweet-talk Qin Hongxi and Qin Yao. Did you do that?”

Hearing Gu Yu’s outburst, Gu Song finally came back to his senses, his gaze landing on Gu Rou in the back seat.

He agreed.

This was all Gu Rou’s fault.

For a while now, Gu Song had been working tirelessly to repair Gu Rou’s relationship with Qin Hongxi. He had finally managed to get Qin Hongxi to soften.

Before they headed to the Qin family, he had repeatedly reminded Gu Rou to do whatever it took to agree with Qin Hongxi, no matter what he said, and not to contradict him.

After all, Qin Hongxi was not the same as he used to be. He no longer doted on Gu Rou the way he once did. He wasn’t going to cater to her every whim anymore.

But as long as he didn’t divorce Gu Rou, they would still be a family.

If that was the case, whatever requests Gu Rou made, Qin Hongxi would likely still fulfill them.

But what actually happened?

Gu Rou had agreed to everything, only to start acting like a spoiled Qin family wife the moment they arrived.

As soon as she met Qin Yao, she managed to upset him.

Then she made things worse by suggesting in front of Qin Hongxi that Qin Yao’s reputation didn’t matter...

The more Gu Song thought about it, the more he wanted to cough up blood.

Why did he have such an idiotic sister?

Gu Rou could favor Gu Yu, but why didn’t she know how to put on a façade in front of Qin Yao and Qin Hongxi?

If only she had played her role today, they wouldn’t be in this mess.

Now, it was over.

Not only was Qin Hongxi divorcing Gu Rou, but Gu Yu’s future was also ruined.

And the worst part was—

Gu Song had no idea what else Qin Hongxi might be planning!

Gu Rou continued to try to explain to Gu Yu, “Xiao Yu, I know you’re upset, but you can’t blame me for all this…”

“Why not blame you?” Gu Song, sitting in the front, grew more furious by the second. If it weren’t for Gu Rou, none of this would have escalated to such a disastrous level!

“It’s all because of you! You ruined everything!” Gu Song's face twisted with anger, and he glared at Gu Rou with hatred.

“Whether it’s Gu Yu’s entry into the Qin Group or our Gu family’s revival, it’s all been wrecked, and it’s all your fault!”

Gu Rou opened her mouth to respond, but before she could get a word in, Gu Yu angrily cut her off. “Aunt, don’t tell me you still think you’re innocent? Have you ever thought about what you’ve done over the years? We set you up with such a good marriage, and you didn’t even know how to make use of it!”

“Now, both your husband and your son treat you like an outsider. Are you happy now?!”

Their accusations flooded over Gu Rou, leaving her at a loss for words. Her eyes instantly reddened.

She wanted to explain that today’s mess wasn’t entirely her fault. The reason she scolded Qin Yao when she first saw him was because Gu Song had complained to her earlier that Qin Yao refused to meet with him.

Gu Rou had been angry on Gu Song’s behalf, and that was why she lost her temper with Qin Yao. How was that wrong?

As for what she said to Qin Yao about Gu Yu…

She was just too panicked at the time, desperately wanting to help Gu Yu, which is why she blurted out those words.

If it weren’t for wanting to help Gu Yu, she wouldn’t have said something like that!

And let’s not forget…

She had married Qin Hongxi, a man she didn’t even love, all for the sake of the Gu family!

Ever since she was young, her parents had always told her that Gu Song was the most important person in the family, and no matter what, she should take care of him.

Gu Rou had taken those words to heart.

She had even married someone she didn’t love, had a child, all for Gu Song’s sake. So why was he now turning on her and scolding her?

Gu Rou wanted to explain, but neither Gu Song nor Gu Yu were interested in listening.

Every word they hurled at her hit her like a dagger, and finally, Gu Song shouted, “This is all your fault! How do you even have the nerve to come with us to the hospital to see Father?”

“Throw her out!” Gu Yu barked.

Without hesitation, the driver slammed on the brakes.

And just like that, Gu Rou was thrown out onto the side of the road.

She watched helplessly as the car drove off without a hint of remorse, leaving her kneeling in the scorching sun. At that moment, Gu Rou finally realized.

She was wrong!

She had been wrong from the very beginning!

She had a husband who loved and respected her, and a son who was exceptional in every way. So why had she been so blind to see it?

Under the blazing sun, Gu Rou knelt on the roadside, crying her heart out.

But it was too late. The damage was done, and there was no going back.

Meanwhile, at the Qin family villa.

Only when he saw the three members of the Gu family thrown out did Ye Leyao suddenly realize, “Wait, I haven’t turned off my livestream!”

His words caught the attention of Qin Yao and the Huo family members.

Qin Yao said, “There’s still time to turn it off now.”

The livestream viewers instantly went wild upon hearing this:

“???”

“Wow, Qin Yao, you’re really going to kill the donkey after it’s done with the mill, huh?!”

“Nooo! I want to keep watching!”

“Yeah, especially that moment just now! Did Qin Yao just hug Ye Leyao? Hehehe…”

Without giving the viewers more time to react, Ye Leyao quickly shut off the livestream.

The fans watching the now-black screen lamented:

“Ye Leyao, why did you listen to Qin Yao?!”

“Yeah, come on, just sneak in a bit more livestream time! I really want to see you guys hug again!”

But the dark screen wasn’t going to light up again.

However, the fans didn’t stay upset for long, as there was plenty more drama to entertain them that day. After all, they had just seen Gu Yu’s scandalous self-exposure right after a major celebrity’s affair had been revealed in the headlines.

The fans practically knelt in gratitude for all the juicy gossip that day.

But before they could enjoy it fully, they were hit with the absurd revelation about Qin Yao’s own mother: pushing her son to take the fall for her nephew’s mess.

What kind of mother does that?

The fans were outraged.

Qin Yao’s supporters were even more furious.

Even casual onlookers couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed.

Who would have thought there was actually a mother in the world who didn’t love her own son?

Anger spread across the internet, with passionate posts condemning Gu Rou for her actions.

But after they had vented enough, the conversation shifted:

“Well, I have to admit, I was really shipping them today!”

“Ahhh, me too! I knew it—Qin Yao and Ye Leyao are totally real!”

“They’re just so sweet together, I can’t get enough!”

“Sweet? Who came up with that ridiculous CP name?”

“Why, don’t you like it? It actually has a nice meaning.”

“Oh, it has a meaning?”

The CP fans quickly jumped in to explain:

Qin Yao and Ye Leyao first met on a reality show where they often ate together. And wherever there was something to gossip about, Ye Leyao was sure to be there, along with Qin Yao.

So what does that mean?

It means they both love eating gossip!

And when you put Qin Yao and Ye Leyao’s names together, you get “light bite.” It means they both take a “light bite” out of every piece of gossip they come across.

It fits their personalities so well, how could you not love it?!

After reading the explanation, some fans still couldn’t get on board with the name.

But the CP fans were unapologetic: “Sorry, we’re just too many. Make room for us.”

The others couldn’t help but laugh at that.

Ye Leyao, scrolling through Weibo, couldn’t help but laugh too.

Even though Gu Rou had been kicked out of the Qin family, the party that was supposed to be for her birthday was far from over. In fact, more guests were arriving, keeping Qin Hongxi busier than ever.

With so many guests, Qin Yao couldn’t leave everything to his father. As the future leader of the Qin Group, he had to go socialize as well.

Before leaving, Qin Yao took Ye Leyao’s hand and asked, “Why don’t you go rest in my room for a bit? I’ve still got some milk chilled in the kitchen for you.”

Ye Leyao thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright, I’ll head up by myself. You go handle the guests.”

Qin Yao hummed in agreement, but he didn’t let go of Ye Leyao’s hand.

Ye Leyao looked at him curiously. “What’s wrong?”

“Yaoyao,” Qin Yao frowned slightly, “are you unhappy?”

Ye Leyao blinked in surprise and instinctively replied, “No, I’m not.”

Qin Yao suddenly reached out and gently massaged the furrow between Ye Leyao’s brows. “Then why is your forehead so tense?”

Ye Leyao touched the spot Qin Yao had just rubbed.

*Huh? It really is tense… So why am I unhappy?*

Ye Leyao’s confusion seemed genuine, which made Qin Yao relax a little.

“Maybe you’re just tired?” Qin Yao suggested.

Ye Leyao thought about it and nodded. “That could be it! After all, I woke up really early today.”

Hearing this, a small smile appeared on Qin Yao’s lips.

He knew he shouldn’t be saying these things to Ye Leyao yet, especially since they had only recently started dating.

But for some reason, Qin Yao couldn’t hold back. He felt like he had to tell him now, even if he was being a little impatient. “Yaoyao, just wait for me a little longer. I’ll be back soon… And when you graduate from university, do you want to marry me?”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened in shock.

*What? Marriage?*

Qin Yao pressed his lips together before continuing, “I know it’s too early to ask this, but ever since we got together, I’ve been thinking about it constantly. But you don’t need to rush into an answer. Take your time. I’ll wait as long as you need.”

Qin Yao took a deep breath, the sunlight brightening his already radiant smile. “Yaoyao, I’ll be going now.”

After speaking, Qin Yao leaned in and left a light kiss on the corner of Ye Leyao’s lips.

It wasn’t until Qin Yao had walked away that Ye Leyao raised his hand to touch his lips.

*Qin Yao kissed me!*

And Qin Yao had done it on his own initiative!

The crease between Ye Leyao’s brows finally disappeared, and he smiled as he headed inside the villa to go upstairs.

But as he walked into the main hall on the first

 floor, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

He had spotted a familiar figure.

“What are you doing here?” Ye Leyao was startled and instinctively walked over to the boy.

The boy didn’t seem surprised. His hair was still tied up in a small ponytail at the back of his head. When he saw Ye Leyao, he quickly walked over, signing as he went.

Ye Leyao furrowed his brow, puzzled. “Are you signing again? But I can’t understand…”

Before he could finish speaking, Ye Leyao paused.

Wait.

Something wasn’t right.

The boy’s hands were moving rapidly, even faster than the last time they had met.

But this time, Ye Leyao realized he could understand it.

Not only could he grasp the meaning of each gesture, but he could also make out the boy’s question.

The boy had asked: “The time is almost up. Have you thought about what you’ll do?”

Ye Leyao opened his mouth, “Time? What time?”

The boy blinked and suddenly pointed to a spot.

He was pointing to the backyard.

Ye Leyao glanced around, noticing that there were a lot of people nearby. It wasn’t the best place to have a conversation.

Without much hesitation, Ye Leyao nodded and followed the boy to the backyard.

As they walked, the boy made several more gestures.

And once again, Ye Leyao understood.

The boy said, “My name is Bai Yu. Last time we met, it was too rushed, and I think I scared you. Sorry about that.”

Ye Leyao wasn’t sure why Bai Yu was apologizing, but remembering their last meeting, he asked, “So what was the meaning of that note you gave me?”

By the time he finished asking, they had arrived at the courtyard where they had previously been barbecuing.

The head chef saw Ye Leyao and hurried over to ask if he wanted something to eat.

Ye Leyao shook his head and asked Bai Yu, “Do you want anything?”

Bai Yu shook his head as well.

Ye Leyao waved the chef off, and the two sat down at the pavilion.

As noon approached, the sun grew harsher.

Ye Leyao turned his head and saw Bai Yu gazing up at the sky.

Since Bai Yu didn’t seem eager to continue their conversation, Ye Leyao didn’t push him.

However, deep inside, Ye Leyao was filled with questions. He was curious about Bai Yu’s identity, as well as the strange question Bai Yu had asked him earlier. But just as those questions started to surface, they quickly faded away.

Instead, Ye Leyao’s thoughts returned to Qin Yao’s earlier question—*Why was he unhappy?*

His brows furrowed again, and his eyes started to sting.

Right, why was he feeling this way?

He had seen Qin Yao today. He had even drunk the oat milk he had been craving.

Although Gu Rou had been cruel to Qin Yao, after today, she wouldn’t be able to hurt him again.

He should be happy.

Yet, as soon as the joy bubbled up, it was crushed by an overwhelming sense of sorrow.

But just as Ye Leyao was about to dig deeper into that sadness, the emotions clouding his mind suddenly dissipated.

It was a strange feeling, like there was a program embedded in his mind, erasing all data the moment he touched on this particular issue.

It was a bizarre sensation.

Suddenly, Ye Leyao felt a light tap on his shoulder.

He turned around.

Bai Yu, with his finely shaped eyebrows knitted together, signed, “You’ve likely lost part of your memory. I’m not sure if it’s because of that person, but… you helped me before. And I promised I’d come find you today, so I’ll tell you everything I know. But I can’t guarantee that after I tell you, you’ll be able to remember.”

“Watch carefully.”

Ye Leyao was startled.

Memory loss?

He had lost his memory?

No.

That couldn’t be right.

He was sure he hadn’t lost his memory.

But before he could explain, Bai Yu continued to sign, “To date, we’ve met four times in total, including the last time at the resort. The first time we met, I was on a mission. But because I fell in love with my target, I failed my mission.”

*Mission?*

*Target?*

Ye Leyao was filled with confusion.

Bai Yu continued, “It was during that mission that you saved me. I promised to do something for you, but you told me you didn’t need any help and left.”

“The second time we met, I was still on a mission… Honestly, it was really frustrating! It felt like déjà vu, going through the same thing all over again, and it was all because of you! But you helped me again, so I was grateful. And that time, you asked me to ask you a question the next time we met.”

Ye Leyao’s pupils constricted, and he instinctively spoke, “Did you find a way to save him?”

Bai Yu nodded, then shook his head. “Because of the rules of this world, I couldn’t write down that person’s name. But surely, you haven’t forgotten your own name, right?”

“Or has the timeline reset four times, causing a glitch in the program?”

Reset? Timeline?

What did that mean?

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Ye Leyao’s head.

It was the same excruciating pain he had felt earlier when Gu Rou had suggested pushing Qin Yao into the spotlight as a scapegoat. It was a pain that pierced his very soul, impossible to resist.

In just a few seconds, sweat began to bead on Ye Leyao’s forehead, and his vision started to blur. He could barely make out Bai Yu’s gestures anymore.

Ye Leyao was in agony. Just as he felt like he couldn’t hold on any longer, he noticed something.

The program that had been restricting him seemed to have loosened.

With that slight release of the constraint, the sharp pain in his head lessened.

Ye Leyao steadied himself and looked up at Bai Yu. Suddenly, he felt a flood of ancient memories unlock within him.

In unison, they spoke:

Ye Leyao: “My name isn’t U, I am L1.”

Bai Yu: “You’re not U, you’re L1.”

L1, the top-ranking regulatory system of the Space-Time Bureau.

The note Bai Yu had given to Ye Leyao had been written too hastily. The lowercase letter “l” and the number “1” had been scribbled together, leading to the mistake of reading it as the letter “u.”

His name was L1. Qin Yao had always called him “Yaoyao” because Qin Yao thought “yiyi” didn’t sound as nice.

11 stood for “Yaoyao.”

L could be read as “L.”

Together, it formed “Leyao.”

He was L1, and his name was Leyao!